History of John Foster Dulles in Timeline

John Foster Dulles was a prominent American diplomat and politician, serving as Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower during the Cold War. Known for his staunch anti-communism, Dulles advocated a policy of 'brinkmanship,' pushing the Soviet Union to the edge of war to deter aggression. He championed the 'domino theory,' fearing the spread of communism across Southeast Asia, and played a key role in forming alliances like SEATO to contain Soviet influence. His strategies significantly shaped U.S. foreign policy during a critical period of global tension.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

June 26, 1912: Marriage to Janet Pomeroy Avery

On June 26, 1912, John Foster Dulles married Janet Pomeroy Avery, the granddaughter of Theodore M. Pomeroy.

1913: Birth of John W. F. Dulles

In 1913, John W. F. Dulles, the older son of John Foster Dulles, was born. He later became a professor of history specializing in Brazil.

1914: Birth of Lillias Dulles Hinshaw

In 1914, Lillias Dulles Hinshaw, the daughter of John Foster Dulles, was born. She later became a Presbyterian minister.

1918: Birth of Avery Dulles

In 1918, Avery Dulles, the son of John Foster Dulles, was born. He later converted to Roman Catholicism, joined the Jesuit order, and became the first American theologian to be appointed a Cardinal.

1935: Trustee of Rockefeller Foundation

From 1935 to 1952, John Foster Dulles served as a trustee of the Rockefeller Foundation.

1944: Foreign policy advisor in elections

During the 1944 and the 1948 campaigns, Dulles served as Dewey's chief foreign policy adviser. In 1944, Dulles took an active role in establishing the Republican plank calling for the establishment of a Jewish commonwealth in The British Mandate for Palestine.

1944: Chief Foreign Policy Advisor

In 1944, Dulles served as the chief foreign policy advisor to Thomas E. Dewey, who was the Republican presidential nominee.

1945: Participation in the San Francisco Conference

In 1945, Dulles participated in the San Francisco Conference as an advisor to Arthur H. Vandenberg and helped draft the preamble to the United Nations Charter.

1946: United Nations General Assembly

In 1946, Dulles attended the United Nations General Assembly as a United States delegate.

1947: Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly

In 1947, Dulles attended the United Nations General Assembly as a United States delegate.

1948: Foreign Policy Advisor for Dewey's Presidential Campaign

In 1948, John Foster Dulles continued as the chief foreign policy advisor to Thomas E. Dewey, the Republican presidential nominee, during his presidential campaign.

1948: Republican Presidential Nominee

In the elections of 1944 and 1948, Dulles was an associate of Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York, who became the Republican presidential nominee. During the 1944 and the 1948 campaigns, Dulles served as Dewey's chief foreign policy adviser.

November 8, 1949: Lost Special Election

On November 8, 1949, Dulles lost the special election to finish the term to Democratic nominee Herbert H. Lehman.

1949: Appointment as U.S. Senator

In 1949, Dulles was appointed as a U.S. Senator for New York by Dewey.

1950: Special Advisor to President Truman

From 1950 to 1952, Dulles became a special advisor to President Harry S. Truman, focusing on the Indo-Pacific region.

1950: United Nations General Assembly

In 1950, Dulles attended the United Nations General Assembly as a United States delegate.

1950: Publication of War or Peace

In 1950, Dulles published War or Peace, a critical analysis of the American policy of containment, advocating instead a policy of liberation.

1951: Initiation of ANZUS Treaty

In 1951, Dulles helped initiate the ANZUS Treaty for mutual protection with Australia and New Zealand.

1952: Architect of Treaties

From 1950 to 1952, John Foster Dulles was the primary architect of the Treaty of San Francisco, which ended World War II in Asia, the U.S.–Japan Security Treaty, which established the U.S.–Japan Alliance, and the ANZUS security treaty between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.

1952: End of Rockefeller Foundation Trusteeship

In 1952, John Foster Dulles concluded his service as a trustee of the Rockefeller Foundation, a role he had held since 1935.

January 1953: Appointment as Secretary of State

In January 1953, Dulles was appointed and confirmed as Secretary of State, marking the beginning of his tenure under President Eisenhower, during which he strongly opposed communism and favored military build-up and alliances.

March 1953: Support for Overthrow of Prime Minister of Iran

In March 1953, Dulles supported Eisenhower's decision to direct the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), then headed by his brother Allen Dulles, to draft plans to overthrow Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh of Iran. That led directly to the coup d'état via Operation Ajax.

1953: Planning of Guatemalan Coup

In 1953, John Foster Dulles participated in planning a military coup in Guatemala, claiming President Jacobo Árbenz's government was veering towards communism.

1953: Appointment as Secretary of State

In 1953, President Eisenhower appointed Dulles as Secretary of State.

1954: Creation of SEATO

In 1954, John Foster Dulles designed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), which provided for collective action against aggression and was signed by several nations.

1954: Involvement in Guatemalan Coup d'état

In 1954, John Foster Dulles helped instigate the Guatemalan coup d'état.

1954: Instigation of Guatemalan Coup

In 1954, John Foster Dulles instigated a military coup by the Guatemalan army through the CIA, alleging the democratically elected President Jacobo Árbenz's government was turning communist; Dulles had previously been a lawyer for United Fruit Company.

1954: Time Magazine's Man of the Year

In 1954, John Foster Dulles was named Time magazine's Man of the Year.

1954: Geneva Conference and Vietnam Partition

In 1954, at the Geneva Conference, John Foster Dulles forbade contact with the Chinese delegation, refused to shake hands with Zhou Enlai, and opposed the plan to partition Vietnam, leading to the conference's failure to resolve the conflict.

June 9, 1955: Speech on Neutrality

On June 9, 1955, Dulles argued in a speech that "neutrality has increasingly become obsolete and, except under very exceptional circumstances, it is an immoral and shortsighted conception."

June 1956: Condemnation of Non-Alignment

In a June 1956 speech in Iowa, Dulles declared non-alignment to be "immoral", further castigating the Non-Aligned Movement.

November 1956: Opposition to Suez Canal Invasion

In November 1956, John Foster Dulles strongly opposed the Anglo-French invasion of the Suez Canal zone, after Egypt's nationalization of the canal; he was hospitalized and unable to participate in decision-making during the crucial days.

November 1956: First Colon Cancer Operation

In November 1956, John Foster Dulles underwent his first operation for colon cancer, which had caused a bowel perforation.

1957: Renegotiation of U.S.-Japan Security Treaty

From 1957 to 1959, John Foster Dulles oversaw the renegotiation of a revised version of the U.S.–Japan Security Treaty, after resisting revision for many years.

1957: Novelty Song About Dulles

In 1957, entertainer Carol Burnett rose to prominence singing a novelty song, "I Made a Fool of Myself Over John Foster Dulles". Dulles responded with humor when asked about it.

1958: Hospitalization for Diverticulitis

At the end of 1958, John Foster Dulles experienced abdominal pain and was hospitalized with a diagnosis of diverticulitis.

1958: Opposition to Gamal Abdel Nasser

By 1958, John Foster Dulles became an outspoken opponent of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, preventing Nasser's government from receiving arms from the United States, which subsequently allowed the Soviet Union to gain influence in Egypt.

1958: Misattributed Quote and Mexico Visit

During John Foster Dulles's visit to Mexico in 1958, anti-American protesters carried signs bearing Charles de Gaulle's quote, 'The United States of America does not have friends; it has interests,' which is sometimes misattributed to Dulles.

1958: Threat of Nuclear Weapons Against China

In 1958, John Foster Dulles authorized the Secretary of the Air Force to publicly state that the United States was prepared to use nuclear weapons in a conflict with China over Quemoy and Matsu islands.

January 1959: Return to Work

In January 1959, John Foster Dulles returned to work after being hospitalized with diverticulitis, but with more pain and declining health.

April 15, 1959: Resignation from Office

Due to declining health and evidence of bone metastasis from colon cancer, John Foster Dulles resigned from office on April 15, 1959.

May 24, 1959: Death of John Foster Dulles

On May 24, 1959, John Foster Dulles died after resigning from his position as United States Secretary of State due to suffering from cancer.

May 27, 1959: Funeral Service

On May 27, 1959, John Foster Dulles's funeral services were held in Washington National Cathedral, following his death on May 24, 1959.

1959: Renegotiation of U.S.-Japan Security Treaty

From 1957 to 1959, John Foster Dulles oversaw the renegotiation of a revised version of the U.S.–Japan Security Treaty, after resisting revision for many years.

1959: Resignation from Secretary of State

In 1959, Dulles resigned from his position as Secretary of State due to cancer.

1959: Posthumous Awards and Memorials

In 1959, John Foster Dulles was posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom and the Sylvanus Thayer Award; a central West Berlin road was named John-Foster-Dulles-Allee in his honor.

1960: Commemorative Stamp Honoring Dulles

In 1960, the U.S. Post Office Department issued a commemorative stamp honoring John Foster Dulles.

1960: Ratification of U.S.-Japan Security Treaty

In 1960, the revised version of the U.S.–Japan Security Treaty was eventually ratified, after John Foster Dulles's death, following his oversight from 1957 to 1959.

1962: Dedication of John Foster Dulles Library

In 1962, the John Foster Dulles Library of Diplomatic History, a section of Firestone Library at Princeton University, was built and dedicated to Dulles, housing his personal documents and other diplomatic materials.